Atavism
by Dingo T. Wilds
Summary: Atavism: Noun, Relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral. In the wizarding world where some of the darkest family secrets lie within the blood you carry, what would happen if something was to bring those secrets out?


Chapter 1: Risks

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Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by J. K. Rowling

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Time Travel is a touchy subject for the Wizarding world. The act of actually traveling through time was quite possible, but there were rules and regulations for that. Even breaking one of the bylaws set forth by the ministry and getting caught was grounds for immediate death, the only exception being that you can prove that you were averting a major disaster that could endanger the entirety of the Wizarding world, then the punishment was up for debate. Currently, in recorded history, only one man had gotten away with tampering with the time line and lived, but he was still sentenced to ten years in Azkaban due to the singular fact he had killed a young muggle boy to prevent a tragedy.

If he was caught, he had the memories of the destruction of the British Wizarding World at the hands of the Dark Lord Voldemort. He knew that he would be in trouble for the tampering, and he might be sentenced for his part of past actions, but hopefully he would be able to prevent the destruction of Magical Britain without causing an even larger disaster.

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It was the last Potions class before the winter holidays. Of course Severus Snape was expecting something to go wrong after all, seeing as it was his first year Gryffindors and Slytherins, which had rapidly become one of the worst classes he had ever taught due to the now infamous Potter/Malfoy feud. This was expanded upon with the inevitable cauldron explosion thanks to either Longbottom or Finnigan. The young Professor sighed and steeled himself, not wanting to give away anything that could tip his hand this early in the game.

As the door opened the students walked in and he wanted to really right now just kill himself. Potter and Draco were already late by one minute and so he gave them a detention each and extra length for their winter break assignments. Even he had tired of his godson's incessant need to show off.

"Today you will be working on one of the most difficult potion that is within your... limited... skill set. This potion is known the Legacy Potion, which if, brew correctly, is used to display both your family tree and inheritance, both familial and magical. Coincidentally, this potion is also the basis of your assignment that is due when you return from winter break. Take note that this potion is volatile in the early and middle stages of preparation even one explosion can trigger another when this potion is being brewed by multiple people in the same room." He hissed eyes going straight to Longbottom who paled, "I will not tolerate anyone fooling around with this potion. Those who do will be dealt with, harshly. The instructions are on the board, copy down the instructions for your holiday project and get to work!"

In little to ten minutes each student had started to work on their potions. Weasley was sitting next to Granger, so he was expecting an acceptable potion from him due the girl whispering the correct instructions to him. Crabbe was next to Goyle so that would probably lead to disaster. Then Longbottom next to Finnigan, perfect they were all going to die. But then there was Potter and Draco, who were forced to share a desk because they came in late, he was really going to hell.

But hell was not what was welcoming him that day, as forty minutes into the potion the Finnigan's potion exploded, rocking the entire class. The explosion set off a chain reaction as the other potions exploded and in a bright flash of light they were all thrown to the ground. Minutes later, when he was able to stand again, Severus surveyed the room. The door was thrown open as he had started moving through the class, trying to clear away the congealing potions covering the students. Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster, and Madam Pomfrey, the School nurse, had reached the potions classroom in record time and were currently creating emergency portkeys to the Hospital Wing and placing them on the students.

He came across were Potter and Draco were laying, and as he saw the changes beginning to happen, all he could think of was that the first part of his plan was a success.

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Severus stared into the flickering flames in his fireplace as a glass of whiskey was gripped in his hand. He didn't like forcing the explosion, know he could have killed his students. But it was needed, and one of the better documented effects of being doused with an unfinished Legacy potion was that it forced dormant traits in the family tree and the genetics of the one doused to come to the fore, often altering the victim's form and magic. Most of the students were already up and good to go, they were only be held for observation to make sure no addition changes happened without him or Madam Pomfrey knowing.

The families of most of the students were with them, including those for the muggleborns. It had taken a long time and lot of talking to convince them that this accident was normal, and Granger's parents were particularly vicious about probing for details. Some of the purebloods had been impressed with the zeal they showed when it came to their only child, and he finally learned where Granger's voracious need for information came from.

Every single one of the parents were worried about the changes, especially when they found out the extent the changes could take. Atavism, that was what Granger's father called it. The reemergence of genetics that haven't been present in recent generations. Traits that, in the magical world, could change the every blood status of the children that were being affected by it. It was lucky that none of them had lost their magic.

Potter and Draco were experience the harshest changes of everyone, and it was because of their lineage. Potter, Black, Malfoy, and many, many other pureblood families worth of heritage held in their blood, and each of those families had secrets. Those secret bloodlines and inheritances were vying to come to the surface, and it was a painful process. Other Purebloods or those descended from pureblood families were experiencing similar transformations, but nowhere near the extent of those two boys.

Lucius had been furious with him for allowing Draco to be affected by this only for Severus to reveal he was also affected, and it was only adrenaline that had kept him to his feet. The Malfoy Patriarch went wide eyed as he saw the subtle differences in the Potion Master's appearance. It was minor things such as skin tone and the general shape of his face at the moment, but until 48 hours had passed, he would not be sure what else had changed.

A knock on the door alerted him that someone had come to see him. Know that very few people would ever disturb him while he was in his quarters, Severus prepared himself as he flicked his wand to open the door. Albus Dumbledore entered and within seconds, he was in front of Severus, the twinkle in his eyes gone as he stared the younger man down, "Severus, do you know what have you done?"

"It was, as you like to say, for the _Greater Good_." Severus sneered as he drained the whiskey glass, fully expecting the look of horror that passed over the older man's features.

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Author's Note: Still not sure on the who or what, but someone's getting a genderbend god dammit! Personally leaning towards Draco, but feel free to leave suggestions for the changes for any changes for any first year Gryffindor or Slytherin student.


End file.
